QUEENS Park Rangers away was billed as Derby County's toughest test of the season to date and although they emerged empty-handed in terms of points, their credit score remained intact.
Rangers won 2-1 to maintain a formidable home record but they were rather pleased to hear the final whistle. They knew they had been in a game.
Harry Redknapp's team deserved their win but Derby were never out of the contest.
They fell behind early on to a Jermaine Jenas goal and a lack of belief in the opening 20 minutes could have proved more costly.Simon Dawkins volleyed an equaliser before Rangers won it with a scruffy goal in the second half.
There was enough in Derby's display to suggest a first defeat in five matches was only a blip.
And so it proved.
They scored three goals, two of them beautifully crafted, and kept a rare clean sheet in beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-0.Jake Buxton's bullet header from six yards found the net off the underside of the bar to put Derby ahead.
The goal was all about desire to head the ball and Buxton is never found wanting on that score.Will Hughes added a second goal and Chris Martin a third, his eighth of the season.
Head coach Steve McClaren was full of smiles as he reflected on a "perfect day". Everything on his wish list going into the Championship clash his players delivered.
In a nutshell, Derby were as good without the ball as they were with it in a convincing victory.
It was a controlled display from back to front and the icing on the cake came in the shape of a clean sheet, their first in a dozen attempts in the League.
Mali international Kalifa Cisse played his part on his debut.
Cisse filled the holding role in midfield in place of John Eustace, who served a one-match ban for reaching five yellow cards.
The win was the start of seven consecutive victories that saw Derby surge to fourth.
A 1-0 win at Bournemouth was the second of the seven wins and came courtesy of a Jamie Ward goal but another clean sheet was the rock on which the victory was built.
The Rams had recorded back-to-back shut-outs in the League for the first time since April 2012, a gap of 19 months.
The importance of being able to chisel out a clean sheet cannot be underestimated.
McClaren said from day one following his appointment that he wanted Derby to be harder to beat without losing their cutting edge. Teams need both strings to their bow.
What was noticeable was how Derby reverted to their team shape quicker and with greater affect when they lost possession.
Defending had become a collective responsibility and this helped to keep Bournemouth at arm's length.
Derby dipped into the loan market again and signed Manchester United defender Michael Keane.
